Swiet



G. W. PEARSON.

SWIFT.

Patented Nov. 13, 1860.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. PEARSON, OF CHARLESTOIVN, MASSACHUSETTS.

SWIFT.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 30,642, dated November 13, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. PEARSON, of Charlestown, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in the Instrument for Holding a Skein of Silk, Cotton thread, &c., for Wlnding, Known as a Swift, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, maklng part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of the swift with the arms closed. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same with the arms distended.

The object of my present invention is to so improve the construction of the instrument known as a swift and which is used for holding skeins of silk, cotton thread or other fibrous articles while they are being wound off, that it may be readily adjusted to accommodate skeins of varying sizes, and when not in use may be folded into a compact and convenient form; and my invention consists in forming the arms of hollow tubes into the ends of which are inserted spring wires which may be drawn out to lengthen the arms when required; and in a convenient method of holding the arms in position after they have been adjusted with respect to each other.

That others skilled in the art may understand and use my invention I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried out the same.

In the said drawings A is a clamp, to be secured to a table or other convenient place. From the top of this clamp rises a spindle on which the swift turns freely. The swift consists of a hub B from which projects on each side the arms O, C, and imediately above the hub B is another similar hub D with arms E, E. A thumb screw F passes through the two hubs, by tightening which the hubs are secured in any position in which they may be adjusted with respect to each other. The spindle of the clamp A enters the end of this set screw. The arms C, CE, E, are hollow tubes slightly flattened at their outer ends, into the end of each of which is inserted a bent Wire G the loop a of which is bent inward as shown in the drawings to hold the skein, while the two ends of the wire enter the tube, and by the spring of the wire press against the sides of the tube sufficiently to hold the wire in any position in which it may be adjusted. When not in use the arms may be brought into the position shown in Fig. 1, when they occupy but little spaceor when to be used they may be set at any angle to each other and there be secured by turning down the thumb screw F. The change of position of the arms serves to distend the skein more or less, and the wires G may also be drawn out to distend the skein farther if required. The swift may thus be adjusted to suit the varying sizes of dilferent skeins. A pin 6 is inserted in the bend of the clamp A, and projects horizontally from it, so that if found to be more convenient the swift may be hung 

